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The following is a transcript of an interview conducted by FBI Agent Garrett Gumbinner and
Craig Appel of the Aurora Police Department on July 20,2012. The subject being interviewed is
James Holmes.
GG:
GARRETT GUMBINNER
CA:
CRAIG APPEL
JH:
JAMES HOLMES
RECORDING BEGINS
??:
??:
(Inaudible).
GG:
Okay. (Inaudible) on the...on the, uh, on the sneakers. On the black sneakers.
JH:
It's blue.
GG:
Okay. Is there
JH:
(Inaudible) just, um, supposed to be (inaudible) force so you guys (inaudible) send
everybody to the theater (inaudible)
GG:
Oh, okay.
JH:
So
it's
set to (inaudible) when music played really, really loud so that would get people to
call.
GG:
(Inaudible). right
JH:
??:
(Inaudible)
CA:
Page
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JH:
(Inaudible). rieht
CA:
Yeah.
GG:
IJm, so, James, help me here. So the point (inaudible) was (inaudible) diversion.
(Inaudible). What...what's gonna set everything off? (kraudible) the trip wire - is that
gonna set everything in the apartment offor how...how...how is everything set to...to
not so much detonate but start the inferno?
JH:
Uh, (inaudible) well the (inaudible) fireworks, remote system, (inaudible) It has all the
wires (inaudible) and it's on top of the 'fridge.
GG:
Right.
JH:
GG:
JH:
GG:
JH:
I put it in a garbage bag, uh, with the (inaudible) the music synced so the music would go
off and then people would go to the garbage bag by the dumpster and I put a RC car in
there. I put the transmitter on top of the...in the...on top of the garbage bag so that
they'd see the RC car and then try and play with it. So then they'd press the transmitter
buttons.
GG:
JH:
And that would set off the fuses to just the gun powder, gasoline mixture.
GG:
Okay.
JH:
Which might set off the, uh, the thermite in the middle.
GG:
JH:
There's...yeah, (inaudible) I put the thermite in that, uh, mortar and pestle
GG:
JH:
GG:
(Inaudible).
Page2 of 19
JH:
GG:
(Inaudible).
JH:
And then the magnesium ribbon (inaudible) in the middle mortar and pestle thermite.
GG:
JH:
I had two magnesium ribbons; one's...one that I chopped up into flakes, I guess and
spread it around so guys (inaudible) spray (inaudible) so if you spray water on it, it
(inaudible).
GG:
JH:
GG:
JH:
(Inaudible). Yes,(inaudible).
it
out?
JH:
GG:
Mainroom?
JH:
...that center. ..
GG:
Okay.
JH:
GG:
lJm, uh, so and you also sprinkled some of that thermite on the glass jars sitting on
your...sitting on the, uh, on the chair, right?
JH:
GG:
Yeah, well we really haven't gotten to good of a look (inaudible) 'cause like I said, we're
very concerned about people and we didn't want to do anything and...and (inaudible).
JH:
So you didn't
.
GG:
We had...we have people that have...that have left most of the apartment...your
apartment building but there's a lot of people, there's a lot of bystanders. We're trying to
get people out of the area, which we're doing a good job of.
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JH:
GG:
I know, but (inaudible) James, and I appreciate you...you telling me what you got and
that's why we're here so I'm gonna be able to make sure that no one gets hurt. So let me
ask you, James, so there's three of the jars. One's on a, uh, one's on the seat right in the
main room. The other one is over by...
JH:
GG:
Okay.
JH:
GG:
JH:
GG:
We haven't.. .I mean we.. .we....we put a camera in there but I don't...I don't have
access to the (inaudible).
JH:
(Inaudible) uh, east (inaudible) towards the northeast of the computer chair (inaudible).
GG:
ammunition?
JH:
Yeah.
GG:
And...and what
JH:
GG:
And (inaudible) what other liquid did you put in there? Did you put gas?
JH:
GG:
JH:
Uh, (inaudible) I think it's napalm. I did the polystyrene and gasoline mixture. Napalm
is
exactly
in that, James?
and then
I (inaudible).
B.
GG:
(Inaudible) you put that in there, that's clear akind of sludge stuff. Wh...what.did you
put on top of that looks black?
JH:
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GG:
Okay. Um, and then...and then you put that on top so it should (inaudible) down?
JH:
Yeah, I put the thermite on the top and then put in a little cup (inaudible) the ribbon goes
and (inaudible) the thermite and the thermite goes down (inaudible).
GG:
Okay. Now in the sprite bottles that are around the computer chair, what...
JH:
GG:
Okay. So (inaudible) so you walk in the front door. I got the fishing line right there that
goes to the glyberin in the Thermos, right? On top of the...on the sneakers ?
JH:
Yes.
GG:
Okay. (Inaudible). There's nothing on the backside of that Thermos that's attached to
the computer chair is there? 'Cause it looked like there was a wire or something running
to it.
Okay.
JH:
GG:
JH:
GG:
Okay.
JH:
...(inaudible).
GG:
(Jm, so then we got the gas. How (inaudible)were you going to ignite the gas in the two
liter bottles? Was it.,.is it from the. ..
JH:
GG:
Okay.
JH:
GG:
Okay.
JH:
(Inaudible) Then a whole bunch of aroma things so you don't smell the gas (inaudible).
GG:
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19
JH:
No, that's just to scare you guys. That's just, uh, ammonium chloride which produces a
lot of smoke (inaudible).
GG:
Ammonium chloride (inaudible). Um, and then the air freshener is to mask the odor
(inaudible). Al1the Christmas trees, you know, the little thingamajigies that you hang
from a rearview mirror?
JH:
Yeah, so they *orid come when the music came and not because they smelled gasoline
and (inaudible).
GG:
JH:
Yeah.
GG:
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
Okay. (Inaudible).
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
JH:
GG:
Okay.
JH:
plastic. They're six inch (inaudible) six inch (inaudible) shells and (inaudible) the,
uh, the gun powder in the three inch shells which stick into the (inaudible) into the gun
powder (inaudible). (Inaudible) you have a (inaudible)bigger six inch shell filled with,
uh, gasoline and motor oil but they won't snap shut (inaudible) pressure. (Inaudible)...
GG:
(Inaudible) pop?.
JH:
GG:
So what's in them(inaudible)?
chemistryname
Just
Page 6
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19
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
Anything?
JH:
GG:
So (inaudible).
JH:
GG:
I didn't
JH:
GG:
Okay. (Inaudible) six inch ones have gas in them on the floor?
JH:
GG:
Okay.
JH:
Yeah.
GG:
And then the three inch ones had black powder or smokeless?
JH:
Smoke...uh,smokeless.
GG:
wall yet.
Okay. Alright. So that's...now, let me askyouthis, James. You talked about leaving
the remote in the dumpster.
JH:
It's not in the dumpster. The people will always leave their trash outside the dumpster.
GG:
JH:
GG:
Okay.
JH:
GG:
So
if I'm looking at the dumpster straight on, is it to my right or my left? What do you
think?
JH:
Um, looking at it straight on, go...it's to the 1eft kind of where the (inaudible). It's sort
(inaudible) parking spot.
PageT of 19
GG:
Okay. And what does it look like, James? (haudible) remote control car remote. It's
a...is it a remote like a TV remote?
JH:
(Inaudible) white garbage bag with the...the boom box in it and the...the (inaudible) and
the outside on the garbage bag is the remote 1,2,3,4, uh, and A, B, C, D (inaudible).
GG:
Okay. So let me ask you this, James. Other than that remote, hitting one of those
buttons, can any of this stuffgo off on a timer or any timed event?
JH:
No,
GG:
JH:
GG:
No timer? IJm, so once we move through the main. ..the main floor, the...so we have the
computer chair and then we have all that stuff with the...the thermite in the bowl. Then
we go back toward the kitchen. What's back there on the right hand side? That's where
the other...that's where the other jar is, right?
JH:
GG:
(Inaudible) outside because like if you're going back to the kitchen, it's on the left, right?
Like on a TV tray or something like that?
IH:
There's a glass on the TV stand and it's real...it's closer to the door than, you know,
(inaudible).
GG:
Oh,
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
JH:
No.
GG:
(Inaudible). (Inaudible) the only booby trap right in front of the door?
JH:
really? Okay.
GG: Okay. Um, you talked about crunching up the magnesium and spreading
uh, the apartment.
.
JH: Yeah.
Page 8
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it
around the,
GG:
okay. what about the aluminum powder and (inaudible)you bought cold packs
(inaudible) ammonium nitrate?
JH:
No.
Al1 the...alt the cold packs are (inaudible). I went to five or six different stores and
they're all non-ammonium nitrate based specifically I guess because of this kind of thing
(inaudible).
GG:
Sure. Um, so what about the zinc? you bought some zinc,
JH:
Yeah, that was...that was all. ..the zinc, uh, iodine, ammonium...I needed ammonium
nitrate from those cooler packs to have, uh, water. It ignites in water so when you try and
put it out, uh, it would get worse.
GG:
And...and...
JH:
GG:
(Inaudible)nitrate?
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
And that was (inaudible) zinc and the aluminum powder for?
JH:
I use the aluminum powder for the...I use aluminum powder for something and I think
that's what you make the thermite...
GG:
Okay.
JH:
GG:
JH:
GG:
And you...
JH:
GG:
And you think you used it in the, uh, in the thermite(inaudible). okay.
JH:
(Inaudible) aluminum powder and iron oxide. I think the (inaudible) I got mostly Lucite I
think 'cause it was black, uh, black iron oxide (inaudible). I put two iron eleckodes
(inaudible) glass jar with water and iodine and then put a (iniudible) battery charger
(inaudible) wall and the positive end on the (inaudible) and the negative end on the
opposite side of the glass. And (inaudible) bunch of rusty water. thut's how I got my
rust for the thermite.
Page 9
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19
col:,".ect?
GG:
JH:
The iodine is just table salt and that's to (inaudible) the (inaudible)rust reaction.
GG:
Yeah? Um, okay. So none of (inaudible)it is timed so none of it can go off without
someone hitting the button isbasically what we think, right?
JH:
The timing was supposed to be the music so (inaudible) the people there and they got the
whole shindig (inaudible).
GG:
Okay.
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
in there?
JH:
GG:
So there's no explosivehazards?
JH:
No, there's nothing in my bedroom that's...or kitchen. Well, there's the remaining
gasoline. In the gas tank there should be safe(inaudible).
GG:
JH:
GG:
Okay. But you're saying there's nothing in your, uh, in your bedroom?
JH:
Yeah, in the bathroom there's just a little blow torch on top of a (inaudible) yellow. Or
not (inaudible) like propane (inaudible) kind of thing. But it's not connected (inaudible).
GG:
So
JH:
It's just
GG:
JH:
Yeah.
GG:
And you're saying it's gas in all those two liter bottles. Is there anything in the kitchen
that's an explosive or incendiaryhazard?
JH:
(Inaudible)
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GG:
JH:
GG:
Okay.
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
And you just put...now the firing box that's above the refrigerator with all the wires
going to it...
JH:
GG :
JH:
GG :
Okay.
JH:
(Inaudible) the transmitter goes from the...you know, the dumpster which somebody
goes to play with the RC car or whatever (inaudible).
GG:
Right.
JH:
And then sets off the...the receiver on top of the 'fridge (inaudible).
GG:
And the...the two little boxes that are in the main room (inaudible) you know, back and
forth, the launch control?
JH:
[Ih, it's infrared so you need. ..there's an infrar...the transmitter for that's behind my
plant. You have to go and press that. Well, first you have to (inaudible) really have to
try and set those off(inaudible).
GG:
JH:
GG:
JH:
GG:
JH:
Yeah, and those, uh, clips are ignited to (inaudible) fuse that it tested it (inaudible) from
those clips.
So
Page 11
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GG:
(Inaudible)?
JH:
No, (inaudible) quick fuse and, uh, the other (inaudible)the green fuse. (Inaudible) big
fuses don't ignite with those (inaudible) clips.
GG:
And when you said big fuse, what do you mean? Explain that to me.
JH:Theonesstickingoutofthesixinchshe11s(inaudible)
GG:
JH:
GG:
-
Okay. So the transmitter's behind your plant. What plant? (Inaudible) if you walk into
(inaudible).
JH:
GG:
So
JH:
(Inaudible) kitchen table (inaudible). There's the, uh, glass TV stand and the...the table,
then the kitchen (inaudible) and then (inaudible).
GG:
JH:
GG:
JH:
GG:
And so if I pick up the transmitter and I hit the button, nothing should happen because the
launch controls aren't armed, right?
JH:
You have to point it at the launch control and hit hold (inaudible) and then you have to
press another button so you really have to go out of your way to. . ..and then it wouldn't
ignite anyway.
GG:
JH:
GG:
Okay. Alright. What am I missing, James? What...I haven't (inaudible), you know, like
I said, I haven't been in the apartment. I...I've only seen pictures and (inaudible) little
video. What...what else is in there that...that could hurt people?
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JH:
GG:
(Inaudible)Yeah, but how much (inaudible)stuffthat you've put together. Like if I put
bomb techs or I go in...into your apartment, based off of what you told me right now,
wh...what else do I need to be concerned about? (Inaudible)Do you have any pressure
plates or anything hidden under your rugs or anything like that?
JH:
GG:
JH:
GG:
JH:
No,I(inaudible). (Inaudible).
GG:
IJm, so he$ me out, James, on that magnesium that you crunched up that you put on the
carpet.
JH:
GG:
(Inaudible)ribbon?
JH:
Yeah. (Inaudible)...
GG:
If I...
JH:
.. .in squares.
GG:
JH:
No, no. I stepped on it multiple times and it didn't...it. ..it. ..magnesium just doesn't
ignite with pressure.
GG:
JH:
GG:
This one I don't know. That's why I'm asking, James. (Inaudible)...
it'll
ignite?
Page 13
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if...
JH:
Magnesium...well, they teach all the firefighters magnesium fires need to be handled
differently...
GG:
Okay.
JH:
...than normal fires because (inaudible) spray water on magnesium fires it creates
(inaudible) hydrogen. . .
GG:
Yeah.
JH:
...(inaudible).
GG:
I'm not...I'm a bomb guy; I'm not a fire Buy, so actually you had me on the magnesium
(inaudible).
JH:
GG:
Yeah.
GG:
So...so we've got the magnesium strips that you just kind of threw around because it's
gonna react with water. The thermite, which is the iron oxide with the, uh, with the rust
and what was the other...what was the other one?
JH:
GG:
Okay.
JH:
And I...
GG:
And (inaudible).
JH:
...didn't get...I couldn't measure the ratios; didn't have a scale. (Inaudible) it's supposed
to be 30 to 1 iron to aluminum but I ended up (inaudible) estimating.
GG:
JH:
GG:
Okay. (Inaudible) yeah pestal, the (inaudible)mortar. lJm, and then you sprinkled the
thermite in the. . .in the glass...in the glass. ..they're glass jars, right?
JH:
Not in the glass. I put the (inaudible) shell kinda thing.' Put thern in the little three inch,
uh, plastic shell (inaudible). (Inaudible).
Page 14
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GG:
JH:
GG:
JH:
Yeah.
GG:
JH:
GG:
And the napalm (inaudible) polystyrene and gas, right, mixed together?
JH:
GG:
And did you grind 'e1n or did you tear 'em up (inaudible)or did they dissolve?
JH:
I put 'em in the metal pot (inaudible) and I got two paint brushes. LIh, there's two paint
brushes have some napalm on 'em (inaudible) go off(inaudible).
GG:
Okay.
JH:
There's (inaudible) the napalm and push the Styrofoam down into the gasoline to mix
(inaudible)mix them faster.
GG:
JH:
LIh,
GG:
And it's
JH:
IJm, I washed it but it's either in a...in the cupboard (inaudible) on top of the countertop
(inaudible).
GG:
(Inaudible).
JH:
CA:
JH:
CA:
at?
Page 15
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19
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
We've (inaudible) and it could still be there. We...we didn't do a search. We didn't find
it. Hey, James, real quick, the gasoline and the ammonium chloride, the (inaudible)
ammonium chloride is what you sprinkled on the ground,right?
JH:
GG:
(Inaudible)if what?
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
JH:
GG:
Okay. And then so (inaudible) the small little three inch balls.
JH:
GG:
JH:
Yes.
GG:
JH:
GG:
JH:
GG:
JH:
GG:
JH:
GG:
Okay. IJm, so going back to what Craig had just said about this...this, uh, transmitter,
you had a white garbage bag with a boom box in it, right?
JH:
Yeah, the boom box...I had made a CD, uh, fortyminutes of silence so I had the boom
box playrng before I left that (inaudible) and then the songs would come on afterwards
and splitter software (inaudible).
Page 16
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19
CA:
Real loud?
JH:
they would...
CA:
Okay.
JH:
But the boom box had (inaudible) so you could actually see through (inaudible) that
respect and the...
GG:
JH:
This is between the number ten parking space and the dumpster.
GG:
Okay.
JH:
(Inaudible).
CA:
JH:
The computer makes the initial noise. I set that for 25 minutes of silence and then noise.
And then the boom box was 40 minutes. So they discover the (inaudible)thing twentyfive or slightly later and then (inaudible)they go to check it out and then (inaudible).
GG:
Hey, James.
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
The transmitter, again, you said it's white with 1, 2,3 onit that you left outside the
dumpsters?
JH:
GG:
JH:
GG:
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
JH:
(Inaudible) antennae but it's all the way (inaudible) other side.
Page 17
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19
GG:
Okay.
JH:
And it's...it's supposed to have 200 meter range radio frequency controlled. Uh, four
(inaudible) hundred and thirty-four...I don't remember the frequencybut...
GG:
JH:
GG:
Okay.
JH:
GG:
Megahertz? Okay. And so you left that outside with a card (inaudible). that said woom
Inaudible) on it?
JH:
(Inaudible) yeah so I had the RC car has the (inaudible) and then I had the thing to leave
it pointed at the RC car near the transmitter (inaudible).
GG:
Okay.
JH:
GG:
Now that box that was on the 'fridge, that's what this is going to?
JH:
Yeah.
GG:
Okay. That box (inaudible) the 'fridge, is it plugged in or is it running off a battery?
How is that thing running?
JH:
GG:
So
JH:
No. (Inaudible).
GG:
GG:
What kind of battery? Did you put batteries in it or was it a self-contained individual
battery that comes with the machine?
JH:
It's
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GG:
Okay. (Inaudible). James, anything else you can think of if I put guys in that apartment
that I need to be aware ofl Did you cook up any explosives? Did you...so (inaudible)
it's all incendiary? There's nothing that's gonna go boom?
JH:
GG:
You (inaudible)didn't make ammonium nitrate. You didn't make any high explosives?
JH:
GG:
So if I go up (inaudible)up in there James, anything (inaudible) else you can think of, you
know, (inaudible)that I have to be concerned about?
JH:
GG:
(Inaudible);
JH:
(Inaudible).
GG:
Is there anything attached to your computer? Any wires or anything running into your
computer?
JH:
No.
GG:
Okay. Um, and the gasoline and the two liter bottles, that was gonna be just...were there
any fuses going into that? I couldn't really see.
JH:
GG:
JH:
Yeah.
RECORDING ENDS.
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